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Visiting bees three days after install

So, I installed my bees Wednesday morning, and I made a lot of mistakes (including pushing the cork down into the queen cage). However, even though both of my beekeeping books say to wait a week before going back in, I feel like I need to check on them for two reasons:

1. To make sure the queen is okay, and is out of her cage.

2. To feed them. I'm using a mason jar to feed them sugar water, and something tells me they might be out now.

Whatever I decide , I just want to make sure that I don't do anything to make them kill the queen or worse, fly away completely. The weather is in the 70-80s here in Georgia, and the only time I can do it tomorrow is in the morning around 10am because of some Easter plans with the family.

So, could someone please tell me whether or not it's appropriate to visit the bees so soon after installing them, and if so, if I should feed them and open the hive up to check on the queen, or just feed them to minimize the disturbance.

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

Yes go pull the queen cage out, did you have drawn comb already its not going to hurt to see if she is laying and if you are feeding in the hive that is surely gone...they can drink a mason jar out in a few hours if they are really drawing comb out. You could look at open feeding, thats what I'm doing to a package and swarm now.

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

Originally Posted by fromabove

To feed them. I'm using a mason jar to feed them sugar water, and something tells me they might be out now.

LOL, something tells me that mason jar was empty less than 12hrs after you put it in there...I have a frame feeder that holds almost 2qts...I poured 3pts in it when installing some bees from a cut-out that already had some of their own comb in there; it was empty & licked dry 24hrs later!

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

Originally Posted by HONEYDEW

Bad advise from inexperienced beeks is not good advise...

Very true, bat at least in this instance all the advise seems usable... "should I open the hive after 3 days to ensure my queen's been released" is pretty straightforward as a (nearly) unanimous "yes" answer.

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

I am a new beekeeper this year and installed on 3.31.12 checked them on 4.2.12 (couldn't wait 3 days) Queen was not released yet and they drank about 3/4 a gallon from my top feeder. Checked yesterday 4.6.12 and the feeders where bone dry. They took down 1 1/2 gallons in 4 days!!!!!

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

I to would also like to get some good answers from this thread. I am going to be receiving my bees on 4/30 and I plan to post about the installation! I have read different things, from different books, but have read that I should check on the queen in about 3 days. I am curious to read more replies! Keep em' coming

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

I put in 1 package this year I put them in single medium put it in late in evening, put queen in between middle frames sideways (leaving 1 frame out on the end) where bees can tend to her, went back next afternoon opened hive checked they were taking her, pulled cork put it back in came back an hr later and removed queen cage.

Re: Visiting bees three days after install

The time you should wait is inversely proportional to the time you have had bees. The less experienced should wait longer that the old timers. Three days seems a little soon, give them a chance to release the queen, and get a spot cleared out for her to lay. A rookie may think there is no queen, when there is, and they are still cleaning up an area for her.

The bottom line is, they are your bees, do as you wish, but don't complain if things did not go according to plan..